Eight reforms, one deal

We, the undersigned civil society organisations, call upon the government and the opposition to sign a cross-party agreement, involving all 218 parliamentarians, to complete eight key reforms in the 15th Parliament’s remaining months.

Without such an agreement, key reforms may be held back by political uncertainties and may be susceptible to unelected forces that do not want these reforms to empower voters.

This agreement should aim to pave the way for the consolidation of parliamentary democracy before and after the coming general election, and to restore public and international confidence in political stability and accountability in Malaysia.

It must therefore cover concerns of both the ‘Madani’ government and Perikatan Nasional.

The credit for these reforms should go to every parliamentarian among the 218 who supports them.

We urge Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to reach out directly to PN’s top leadership to deepen democracy and enhance stability. As Anwar enters the last year of his term, this is his moment as a statesman to unite all parties to introduce far-reaching changes.

It is equally a golden opportunity for PN to propose a comprehensive deal to the Madani government, to show its visionary leadership and democratic commitment for Malaysia after the general election.

With the above considerations, we propose eight reforms for the agreement:

The first four reforms are what Prime Minister Anwar promised at the beginning of his term, with the first two requiring a two-thirds majority (148 votes) to amend the Federal Constitution.

The PM’s 10-year tenure limit would enable leadership renewal and rejuvenation and prevent abuse of power and dynastic politics.

The separation of the attorney general’s and public prosecutor’s roles is necessary to prevent selective prosecution, selective impunity and a two-tiered society.

The freedom of information and ombudsman acts would empower ordinary people, promote transparency and accountability, and incentivise civil servants to deliver better public services.

These reforms will undoubtedly face resistance from some quarters, and any party aiming to lead or join the next government should help to deliver them within this government’s term.

The next four reforms are important to further guarantee a level playing field, thereby benefiting not only the current opposition but also every party – including those now in the government – that may someday sit on the opposition bench. These reforms are extra insurance to ensure the healthy survival of the opposition and to incentivise it to compete constructively.

Fifthly, equitable constituency development funds, based on whatever objective formula is agreed upon and with safeguards for transparency and accountability, should be accessible to all parliamentarians and, at the state level, to all state assembly members. These funds should not be monopolised by the government or made conditional on supporting the government.

Sixthly, a political financing act is necessary to prevent the embezzlement of public funds and control by foreign funders, as seen in the 1MDB scandal.

Public financing of political parties based on vote share and other objective criteria, including women’s candidacy, is necessary to promote a level playing field and reduce the influence of private money.

Seventhly, the Electoral Commission should be made independent, impartial and answerable to Parliament instead of to the prime minister, and then given more powers, including the power over the registration of political parties.

This would enhance public confidence in our electoral process and system and prevent instability over electoral disputes.

Finally, the Malaysian public deserves to know the government’s plan and should not be subjected to a guessing game over the election date.

If the government and the opposition cannot agree that the government should serve until 18 December 2027, when the 15th Parliament stands dissolved, the prime minister should commit to seeking royal assent for early dissolution three months before that date, thereby leaving the Electoral Commission, all parties and the public ample time to plan accordingly.

This would set a good precedent for future federal and state elections. The outdated mindset of the PM ambushing the opposition with a snap election must end.

We congratulate the government and 13 parliamentarians (seven from Bersatu, one from Muda and six formerly Bersatu) for signing a confidence and supply agreement on 29 October 2026.

While the agreement would put the government in a stronger position to pursue the two constitutional amendments, it is narrow and transactional, as equitable constituency development funds remain an item for bargaining instead of a legal mandate.

We support the call by Law and Institutional Reform Minister Azalina Othman Said for PN to enter another confidence and supply agreement with the Madani government. But we think its scope must be wider, covering the legitimate interests of the opposition beyond conditional access to equitable constituency development funds.

We call upon PN’s top leadership to consider this proposal for an eight-reform cross-party deal. We take note of PN’s position that the Bersatu 7 do not represent the opposition.

PN is indeed in a stronger position to demand a real deal that benefits the nation and the opposition. Now is an opportune time for it to demonstrate its leadership and readiness to lead the nation after the coming general election.

The political success that then Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s government and the then opposition, Pakatan Harapan, achieved in bringing about reforms and stability for 13 months through a Memorandum of Understanding for political transformation and stability signed on 13 September 2021, just five years ago, should serve as a reminder of how politics can be made more professional and productive.

Initiated by Project Stability and Accountability for Malaysia (Projek Sama), Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center), Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas), Pertubuhan Ikram Malaysia (Ikram) and Rasuah Busters.

Endorsed by 52 civil society organisations: